M3 Bradley Cavalry Fighting Vehicle / Armored Reconnaissance Scout

M3 Bradley Cavalry Fighting Vehicle (CFV) / Armored Reconnaissance Scout

The M3 Bradley Cavalry Fighting Vehicle is a dedicated armored scout variant of the M2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle.

The M3 Bradley CFV (Cavalry Fighting Vehicle) is very similar in most respects to the M2 Bradley IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) and varies in a few subtle ways and by defined battlefield role. While the original M2 is designed for the IFV role – carrying troops under protection and supplying support firepower – the M3 is intended for the armored scout/reconnaissance role, doing away with side firing ports and seating for six/seven infantry. Two scout positions are added as is additional communications equipment. The M3 also holds more ammunition storage (25mm, 7.62mm and TOW missiles) while fielding the same multi-purpose, two-man powered 25mm-armed turret. The 7.62mm coaxial machine gun is retained as an infantry defense measure.

The Bradley family as a whole was originally intended to support the M113 Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) detailed elsewhere on this site and appeared as a direct counter to the Soviet BMP series of 1966. Adopted in 1980 and fielded beginning in 1981, the M2 Bradley forms a companion vehicle to the M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank – able to keep up for fast-moving mechanized formations and providing much-needed firepower to disembarking infantry.

During the Persian Gulf War of 1991, the Bradley accounted for more tanks destroyed than the M1 Abrams itself though at least seventeen of the M2s were lost to friendly fire however (three lost to enemy fire). Improvements to the Bradley family have included enhanced identification features as well as anti-tank missile countermeasures (for first generation wire-guided missiles) and improved armor protection through explosive-reactive armor.

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